


The Wedding Video

by Ragga



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: F/M, Stilinski Family Feels, This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-11
Updated: 2016-12-11
Packaged: 2018-09-07 22:58:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,219
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8819479
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ragga/pseuds/Ragga
Summary: The photograph beside the TV smiled at him. It was his favourite. It had been taken on Stiles’ fifth birthday. His little boy, so happy and bright, grinning at the camera that someone Noah couldn’t remember was holding. He was being hugged by Claudia, wearing the same grin as their son. Her dress, the curtain dress, was on her. Then there was Noah behind them, large arms holding them both close to him, blue eyes crinkling and a smile threatening to swallow his face.Another.Switch.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by this [prompt](http://writing-prompt-s.tumblr.com/post/154102414996/on-the-anniversary-of-your-wifes-death-you-fell) on Tumblr.

It was the anniversary of Claudia’s death.

Noah sighed. Stiles was out again with his friends, the ones with inhuman tendencies; werewolves, kitsune, banshees, whatever they were. They were a good bunch, really, if Noah just could forget how close it had been for him to lose the only person keeping him above the water. Of course Stiles didn’t see it like that, hell, one of them was _Scott_ , the boy Noah had pretty much helped raise and whom he saw as another son.

He just never had been good about letting go.

They were doing things teenagers do, trying to take Stiles’ mind off of this day. Noah wholeheartedly supported it. He still regretted not being able to be there when Claudia had passed. Stiles had been. He had never been the same afterwards, holding Claudia’s hand as she had flat lined and died, never remembering that Stiles was her son and loved her as much as Noah did.

It had broken Noah’s heart to see Stiles lose his mother like that. The light in his eyes had dimmed with every visit that ended in screaming and the adoring eyes only directed at Noah’s direction. It had almost made him angry at Claudia. How could she do that to their son? But no, it wasn’t her fault. Her body, her brain, her _mind_ failed her and their family. The poor boy had fallen silent for weeks after her death, not speaking to him or Scott or Melissa or anyone. Stiles had never spoken about Claudia’s death to anyone to Noah’s knowledge. Noah didn’t even know Claudia’s last words, if she had said anything before, well…

The way Stiles had hidden into his shell told tales best left unvoiced. Noah wouldn’t drag things from the dark until Stiles was ready; if he ever was. Really, it might also be that Stiles just wasn’t ready to confront his father about them. Noah suspected that Derek and Stiles had exchanged tales of loss but he had only nagging suspicions and hopes of that. Stiles deserved someone he could confide in since even Scott could never truly understand what Stiles had gone through despite being there for him during the aftermath. Hell, _Noah_ couldn’t truly understand what Stiles had gone through, how he had felt when Claudia had screamed that Stiles was trying to kill her in her moments of insanity or what felt like losing your parent.

He himself couldn’t even remember his mother and his father, well…

The less said about him the better.

Noah sighed as he sank onto the couch of their living room. His eyes wandered around, looking at the pictures that surrounded him. There were so many of them but also so few. The ones most worn, most loved, were of Claudia surrounded by flowers and nature, hugging Stiles to her, carrying him, laughing with him, up until… Then there were years missing when no pictures were taken, years that were lost and could never be recovered, jumping right into the junior high school and Stiles with buzzed hair, wide grin and eyes that never seemed to match it.

Noah regretted letting alcohol dictate his life. Still, it had never been as bad as Rafael had made it sound like. He was a father, first and foremost; Stiles had been, was and is his first priority. It was something Rafe had never understood. He had always put his work before Scott, but Melissa was different. She had generously taken Stiles to her home on the days Noah needed the space to grieve without forcing the one he needed to protect the most see him fall apart. After those nights he attempted to clean himself and the house as best as he could but alcohol had a very distinct smell that could be traced unfortunately well.

Noah always hated to see Stiles wrinkle his nose when he came home after the sleepovers but he also couldn’t make those nights stop until years later. He needed them to stay sane like Claudia was unable to. Someone needed to be there for Stiles, to care about him, to let him fuss about his eating patterns and health and…

Then suddenly, it had all changed during Stiles’ sophomore year. There were no longer just Stiles and Noah, or Stiles, Noah, Scott and Melissa. No, there was a multitude of different people, coming and going, living and… dying. Life had never been easy, not for the Stilinskis. But they persevered. They were like cockroaches; they would never go down, even as humans amongst the paranormal.

And sometimes humans were the most dangerous of them all.

Still, there was one reason why Noah was ready to forgive those who had dragged Stiles into the down spiral of his life. His son was finally smiling genuinely, no longer just pretending to understand what happiness was. What he could provide hadn’t been enough and Noah regretted that. Yet, with the new people in his life, Stiles could finally let go of his grief too. Even Scott hadn’t been enough for that but that was a cold comfort. Noah had never claimed to be a good person. He hated the envy that jabbed his heart when he saw Stiles throw his head back and laugh at whatever his ‘pack’ said or did. It had lessened as the years passed, and soon enough Stiles would be going to a top university and Noah would stay and guard the home they had made after…

The couch was old. It had been one of the last things they bought together with Claudia. When she had started to lose herself, before they had known anything had been wrong really, she was taking surprise naps around the clock. They bought the most comfortable couch they could find for the feather light dreams that took Claudia away from…

Noah checked his phone as it beeped. Stiles had sent a picture of himself and his friends. They were sitting around a table, smiling. _Miss you_ , the message said. _Love you_ , it also meant.

He sent the words back to him, tacking a smiley face at the end of it, knowing how much Stiles hated when he used emoji, moaning how ‘his dad was _the worst’_. Stiles quickly replied with some sort of animal that hid its eyes. Noah smiled.

This kid.

Noah opened the bottle sitting on the table next to him and poured a bit on his glass. He took the shot and poured another, savouring it this time. Stiles probably wouldn’t be coming home tonight. On these days when Stiles had been young he had preferred to cling to him but now he had people to surround himself with. Strong people who never would let him suffer alone; people that Noah was glad he had, but he had said that already, hadn’t he?

But that also meant that Noah was alone.

He poured himself another. He turned on the TV.

Nothing but crap in there.

He switched channels every few minutes. At some point, he didn’t even register what he saw there. Nothing seemed to stick.

He poured himself another.

Switch. Switch. Switch.

Another.

The curtains, he wondered when he has last changed them. They were the same colour as Claudia’s favourite dress.

It was still hanging in her dresser.

If Noah really tried, he might be able to scent her favourite perfume too.

Switch.

Another.

The photograph beside the TV smiled at him. It was his favourite. It had been taken on Stiles’ fifth birthday. His little boy, so happy and bright, grinning at the camera that someone Noah couldn’t remember was holding. He was being hugged by Claudia, wearing the same grin as their son. Her dress, the curtain dress, was on her. Then there was Noah behind them, large arms holding them both close to him, blue eyes crinkling and a smile threatening to swallow his face.

Another.

Switch.

Noah blinked as the programme blinded him for a moment. When he could see again, he couldn’t help but let out a silent gasp.

There, on the screen, stood Claudia in her beautiful white wedding dress and hiding her lovely smile behind her veil. He stood next to her, holding her hand as he put the ring, _the ring_ , on her to tie them together forever. He lifted the veil, placing it gently behind her, and pressed one hand against her cheek. The kiss that followed was soft and lingering, speaking of the years that would come but were, unknowing to them, shortened by the cruel fate.

The other hand of hers was holding one of his, both petting her stomach together where Stiles was still sleeping, readying himself to face their adoration and love.

Then they were dancing to a song, an eighties ballad that both of them loved. The people surrounding them were clapping and tearing up. There weren’t many, as Claudia had been an only child and her parents had passed during their last year of college and Noah’s family… Their friends made up for it. The music switched up for that one song that would become a huge internet sensation years after its release. Still, it had been perfect for them as he was never going to give either of them up.

Claudia and Stiles.

Stiles and Claudia.

His world.

Noah had let Claudia cut the cake and kick the ground first. He hadn’t even cared, just smiled down at her as he couldn’t believe that this woman was finally, officially, his and that they were going to start a family together.

Half of their wedding presents had been baby things. They had been happy, preparing for Stiles since the test showed up positive.

Another person for him to love.

Another…

His eyes were glued to the screen, hungry, desperate, as he watched himself slowly dance Claudia to the doors. They waved to the camera and the video, before Noah swept her off her feet and she shrieked, and then he carried her off to the car that was waiting for them.

The video paused, rewound itself, and started again.

Noah didn't dare, couldn’t even think, to change the channel.

The ring, the dance, the cake, the shriek.

Another.

Again.

Noah didn’t even realize when he dozed off, his empty glass clattering on the floor, dancing white angels with bumps on their bellies filling his dreams.

***

Noah woke up, stretching, yawning. He blinked blearily as the morning light hit him in the eyes. The dress curtains were still there but pulled so the light could get through. The couch, comfortable as always despite years of use, was warm and soft and someone had pulled a cover over him. He smiled softly.

The TV was still broken, he grimaced, as he looked over. He was supposed to have fixed it but he had forgotten. Darn it. He had even promised but had fallen asleep instead.

“Honey, would you come here to help me?” he heard coming from the kitchen. Noah stood up, stretched once more before lifting the leftover plates and glasses from the coffee table, cleaning after himself.

He stepped into the kitchen and received a kiss on his cheek.

“Thanks, darling,” Claudia smiled at him and took the dirty dishes before loading up the dishwasher. She was humming. Noah grinned, holding her from behind, swaying in tune with her.

He twirled her around and kissed her softly.

She was still beautiful after all these years. Her smile lit up the room, her eyes were a gentle brown and her hair had just a touch of silver. He couldn’t help but kiss her again.

“Oh, come on!” he heard Stiles complain from behind them. He turned around to see his son, ready for another day at school. “Not in front of me!” he continued, looking disgruntled.

Claudia actually cackled. “When else, little one?” she asked, grinning. “Maybe I should just be kissing _you_ instead!”

“Mom!” Stiles yelled, taking a step back while Claudia took one forward. He quickly ran off, throwing out that he would be going to Scott’s after school.

“I’ll come and kiss you in front of your whole school and tell them all that you’re my best little darling ever!” she yelled after him.

“Don’t you dare!” he answered and Noah heard the front door smash closed.

He laughed uproariously.

“He would disown us both if we ever did that,” he said. Claudia looked at him impishly.

“We should do it. And while we are at it, we should have a talk with that Lydia girl he was talking about the other day. She clearly needs her priorities sorted out.”

Noah pretended to think about it but his face was stretched by another smile. For some reason it almost hurt, as if he hadn’t smiled as much in a long time.

“Let’s do it,” he said. What doesn’t kill you only made you stronger, right? Stiles was strong, he could survive pretty much anything, even embarrassment in front of the whole school.

He would rise again and conquer the world.

Claudia laughed, took his hand, and dragged him to the old blue jeep she still insisted on driving.

Noah felt content.

His life was perfect.

***

Somewhere, in another time and place, someone was crying.

Only a broken glass was left behind.

**Author's Note:**

> ...my hand slipped.


End file.
